The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-09-01


Clasped to fonder breast than mine,
And gain your heavenly JOY at last
SAFE In the arms Of Love Divine.
CELIA THAxTER, in Cottage Hearth.
STONEWALL JACKSON.
Nv experience goes that % years ago
The most Of us were not nearly SO anx-
ious to get to the front as we seem to
be now. When the Johnnies were
close ut hand, we were often more
than satisfied to let some other fellow
get ahead Of us, especially if he was OF
good size, SO we could use him for
4 am interested in a
matter which has been much written
about, and many different versions and
beliefs have been given. and an event
at the time Of much Importance to both
sides. allude to the wounding OF
jackson. / would like to
make some comments on the accounts
Of Capt. James Power Smith. 6. ). A
published Oct. Z. 1886, and of Com.
rade JOS. E. Nutter. Co. b, 1st Mass,
printed November IL. 1886.
Capt. Smith says: HE Jacksonl
passed the swampy depression and be-
gan the ascent Of the hill toward
Charlottesville, where he came upon
q line of Federal infantry lying on
their arms. Fired at by one or two
muskets, !" etc. Comrade Nutter says
that he only got to the edge OF the
swampy depression. etc, and thinks
the fearless Captain must have been
dreaming and if the latter be the
case, would say that Comradc Nutter
must have been sound asleep just at
that particular time.
Now. allowing their line to have
been in the middle of the .'swampy de-
preston with pickets two or three
rods in front, as he says, he was not
very near to where Stonewan jackson
fell.
The situation on the plank road $50.
called) was about this: One section OF
battery was directly on the plank.
about 100 yards to the front from the
creek. On the south side Of the plank
road was Williams's Division, of the
Twelfth Corps, with the right resting
directly on the plank road, and about
200 yards to the front from the creek.
So Capt. Smith and Comrade N1ttel
must both be in error when they say
that Jackson approached very near to
the stream on the south side Of the
road, where the bank was cleared fol
about 100 yards on the west side be-
fore coming to the woods. On the north
side Of the road-where Comrade Nut.
ter says they were-was something o.
D marsh or small swamp, with the
woods extending across the creek and
up on to the hight Of ground toward
the Charlottesville House. but The
brush seemed to have beeEscut out and
the trees we're scattering.
The writer passed along nearly thu
whole front of Williams's Division from
left to right. clear to the edge of the
plank road. keeping just in the edge
Of the timber on the south side Of the
road. l went to the front until thu
confederate line was reached, being
should say, about 400 yards or one
fourth OF mile, from the line of vii
liams's Division. had there a littl,
conversation with the 5th Ala, e. S
A. then returned to our line near tn,
plank road, and was very soon sent Il
the front again, within 100 yards or les
Of the Confederate lines, When heart
horses on the plank road. They bein.
in my rear and coming from towar'
our lines, my first thought was that j
was Gen. Knipe, our first brigad
commander, and the next that the sec
ton 81 battery before mentioned wa
moving to the front; but just at thi
moment something directly in from
drew my attention.
During all the time occupied in M
movements as above described-an'
which have been given only to give al
idea Of the time occupied, and periap
to show that was awake-which mus
have been a full half hour or more, an
very sure that there was not a GU
fired within my hearing. The first vol
ley was now fired directly in my from,
and could plainly see the flashes q
the guns. Very soon the firing wa
commenced from our side, but coul
not say from which side of the road, a
the shots were too far away
They seemed to coEle froI
the north side Of the road
II more than one volley was fired fror
in front have no recollection OF ]
After about the time it would seem nee
essary to man the guns, our batterie
opened, and the way things came teal
ing down that road for about five mir
utes was not slow.
As to whose bullets struck jackson
/, of course, am unable to say; but tn;
the Confederates fired the first shots
do know, and from the close proximit
to his own lines think it very likel
they were the ones. All accounts frol
apparently authentic sources on the
side agree that it is SO. One thing
certain in my mind, and that is, if IL
Confederate bullets did not do the worl
those from our side would not have bee
fired had not the Confeierates fired frs
do not think the Confederates fire
carelessly, but on the contrary had
good and sufficient reason for doing s.
having just been told by some one in
mediately in their front that he or thu
were ..Union skirmishers. They
course thought the horsemen must b
long to the same side and fired in
them, otherwise no attention mig
have been paid them. Every old sol
Ter knows that on some of these mig
occasions it was no unusual thing
get badly mixed, men and officers oft
getting in with troops on the other 81
and escaping without being detected,
The writer has > good recollection